{"id":98025,"date":"2026-06-22T00:14:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T00:14:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/98025\/"},"modified":"2026-06-22T00:14:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T00:14:08","slug":"3-chicago-cubs-takeaways-from-the-toronto-blue-jays-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/98025\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Chicago Cubs takeaways from the Toronto Blue Jays series"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>For 15 innings, it looked like the arrow was finally pointing back up again for the Chicago Cubs.<\/p>\n<p>It looked like the same team that won 10 games in a row this season \u2014 twice.<\/p>\n<p>The Cubs hosted Toronto at Wrigley Field on Friday and Saturday, outscoring the Blue Jays 21-2 in the first 15 innings of the series.<\/p>\n<p>Life was good for the Cubs faithful.<\/p>\n<p>More than 40,000 patrons crammed into Wrigley Field and the Cubs fans in the crowd were hooting and hollering after their team took a 5-0 lead through six innings Saturday, following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/2026\/06\/19\/chicago-cubs-toronto-blue-jays-blowout\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">a 16-2 win on Friday<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/2026\/06\/21\/chicago-white-sox-cubs-bullpens\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Then the bullpen faltered<\/a>. The Cubs lost 8-6 and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/2026\/06\/20\/chicago-cubs-bullpen-toronto-blue-jays\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">the cheers turned to jeers<\/a> and swears as relief pitcher Jacob Webb cursed his own performance after the game.<\/p>\n<p>The Cubs had some extra time to think about that loss as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/2026\/06\/21\/chicago-cubs-fathers-day-game-rescheduled\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sunday\u2019s game against the Jays was postponed<\/a> because of weather and will be made up at 1:20 p.m. on Aug. 6 at Wrigley Field.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"Fans with ponchos walk in Gallagher Way outside of Wrigley Field on June 21, 2026, after the Chicago Cubs game against the Toronto Blue Jays got postponed to a later date because of inclement weather. (Eileen T. Meslar\/Chicago Tribune)\" width=\"8192\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CTC-L-general-news-feature-11.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"37505587\" \/>Fans with ponchos walk in Gallagher Way outside of Wrigley Field on June 21, 2026, after the Chicago Cubs game against the Toronto Blue Jays got postponed to a later date because of inclement weather. (Eileen T. Meslar\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<p>The fans were cheated Sunday out of a chance to see an interesting pitching matchup between Shota Imanaga and Dylan Cease, the former Cubs farmhand and former White Sox pitcher.<\/p>\n<p>The Cubs (40-37) were cheated out of a chance to win their third straight series and to erase the misery of Saturday\u2019s collapse.<\/p>\n<p>As the Cubs open a road trip in New York to face the Mets, here are three takeaways after the two-game split with the Blue Jays.<\/p>\n<p>1. PCA is having a huge June.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson, left, and center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong celebrate after Crow-Armstrong hits a two-run home run against the Blue Jays in the sixth inning at Wrigley Field on June 20, 2026, in Chicago. (John J. Kim\/Chicago Tribune)\" width=\"4500\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CTC-CUBS-BLUE-JAYS-062026-31_263917085.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"37508173\" \/>Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson, left, and center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong celebrate after Crow-Armstrong hits a two-run home run against the Blue Jays in the sixth inning at Wrigley Field on June 20, 2026, in Chicago. (John J. Kim\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<p>Pete Crow-Armstrong had people wondering if he was ever going to break out of his early-season funk.<\/p>\n<p>He has been absolutely killing it in June.<\/p>\n<p>In 17 games in June, the 24-year-old star center fielder has been hitting .437 with an on-base percentage of .481, a slugging percentage of .930, and OPS of 1.411 with nine home runs, 14 RBIs and six stolen bases.<\/p>\n<p>Also this month, he was one hit shy of the cycle against the San Francisco Giants on June 13 and did <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/2026\/06\/15\/chicago-cubs-pete-crow-armstrong-hits-for-cycle\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">hit for the cycle<\/a> two days later against the Colorado Rockies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHis production has just been excellent,\u201d Cubs manager Craig Counsell said on Saturday. \u201cHis production is taking a big step forward and that\u2019s meaningful for us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Before Saturday, Crow-Armstrong had an 18-game stretch in which he had 34 hits including nine home runs, five doubles, two triples and added six stolen bases into the mix.<\/p>\n<p>According to Stats Perform, no one in major-league history has come up with numbers like that in an 18-game stretch.<\/p>\n<p>Quietly, Crow-Armstrong is increasing his walk production. He walked 29 times in 157 games in 2025 and already has 28 in 77 games in 2026.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s important to him now that he is getting more starts as a leadoff hitter.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGetting to first base is priority one,\u201d Crow-Armstrong said on Friday. \u201cIf I can get on base any way I can to start the game off, that\u2019s doing my job as a leadoff hitter. I contribute to this team\u2019s success by being on first base.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe walks are a fun new thing that I\u2019m learning how to take. I\u2019m going to swing, but I\u2019ll take the walks whenever they come.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Counsell, for one, appreciates it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s in swing mode and that\u2019s kind of been his thing,\u201d Counsell said. \u201cBut now he has learned that he can be in swing mode and still not swing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s how he should be. It\u2019s still an aggressive mode and he doesn\u2019t take anything away from his aggressiveness. I think he is able to say \u2018swing-swing-swing\u2019 and then \u2018no.\u2019 \u2018Yes, yes, yes\u2019 and then \u2018no.\u2019\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n<p>2. Unexpected off day affects the starting rotation.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga on the field before a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, June 19, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/David Banks)\" width=\"3933\" height=\"312\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ctc-Blue-Jays-Cubs-Baseball_263882723.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"37508174\" \/>Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga on the field before a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, June 19, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo\/David Banks)<\/p>\n<p>Imanaga will get the nod against the Mets on Monday. Hours after Sunday\u2019s postponement, the Cubs announced Edward Cabrera is scheduled to start Tuesday, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/2026\/06\/21\/chicago-cubs-dansby-swanson-javier-assad\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Javier Assad<\/a> slated for Wednesday. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/2026\/06\/16\/chicago-cubs-colorado-rockies-edward-cabrera\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Cabrera had exited his last start<\/a> early with a cramp in his pitching hand.<\/p>\n<p>Opening day starter Matthew Boyd had a rehab assignment on Saturday and struck out seven hitters in four scoreless innings for Single-A South Bend against Fort Wayne. He threw 59 pitches and if his left shoulder stays pain-free, he will be closer to coming back.<\/p>\n<p>The left-handed Boyd was placed on the injured list May 4 with a left meniscus injury and was rehabbing that when the shoulder started to act up.<\/p>\n<p>3. The alleged easy part of the schedule is almost over.<\/p>\n<p>The Cubs opened a 22-game stretch against teams with losing records on June 2. Thus far, they are 8-9, plus a rainout, with four games against the Mets remaining before facing the National League Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers on the road on June 28.<\/p>\n<p>For a sliver of a silver lining, heading into Sunday\u2019s action, the Cubs were the top team in the division over their past 10 games with a 6-4 mark. Cincinnati was 5-5 while Milwaukee, St. Louis and Pittsburgh were 4-6.<\/p>\n<p>Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For 15 innings, it looked like the arrow was finally pointing back up again for the Chicago Cubs.&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":98026,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[9814,35803,35806,35997,6982,35425,35996,35995,35426,48,1017,35994],"class_list":["post-98025","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-toronto","tag-chicago-cubs","tag-craig-counsell","tag-jacob-webb","tag-justin-dean","tag-mlb-baseball","tag-pete-crow-armstrong","tag-postponed","tag-rain-out","tag-shota-imanaga","tag-toronto","tag-toronto-blue-jays","tag-wrigley-field"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98025","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98025"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98025\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/98026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98025"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98025"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98025"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}